Al Thawadi showcases Qatar 2022 mission at World Economic Forum
May 23 – Qatar 2022 organising chief Hassan Al Thawadi has been explaining the impact and scale of his country’s World Cup project at the World Economic Forum in Jordan.
World Cup
Qatar’s revamped Khalifa stadium to debut with Emir Cup final, 5 years before 2022 kick off
By Paul Nicholson
May 18 – Qatar will re-open the Khalifa International Stadium this weekend, the first tournament-ready venue for the first winter World Cup that kicks off 21 November 2022. Khalifa International will host group matches and knock out rounds up to the quarter finals in 2022, but before then it will host the 2017 Emir Cup final, 2017 Gulf Cup and 2019 IAAF World Championships.
Zenit move league game after pitch at St Petersburg’s new stadium cuts up
By Samindra Kunti
May 17 – Zenit St. Petersburg have been forced to play tonight’s (Wednesday) league match with FC Krasnodar at another ground after the pitch at the Krestovsky stadium was deemed to be too poor for the fixture.
Going to war on the Russian front: Smertin puts discrimination top of the agenda
By Paul Nicholson
May 10 – Issues of racism and discrimination have been thrust into the spotlight again with the Sulley Muntari case sadly showing that football has a lot more work to do on the issue. FIFA’s response has been depressingly ambivalent; of the “it’s not nice but what do you expect us to do” variety. So what about Russia, the World Cup and the widely documented issues facing that country as it prepares to welcome the world in 2018.
St Petersburg stadium debuts as a work in progress
By Samindra Kunti
April 24 – Saint Petersburg’s 69-000 all-seater Krestovsky Stadium has opened two months before the Confederations Cup, but concerns remain over the venue’s readiness.
Blumenthal toxic on Russia hosting of 2018, says US could help out
April 20 – A US Democrat Senator has urged FIFA to consider stripping Russia as hosts of next year’s World Cup over its alleged complicity in the recent chemical weapons attack in Syria.
Russia passes new laws to fight threat of fan violence at 2018 World Cup
April 17 – Amid concerns over disruption at next year’s World Cup, Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a federal law that will toughen penalties for “gross violations” at sporting events by both Russian and visiting fans.
Qatar cuts spending to bring in 2022 World Cup for $8-10bn
April 7 – Qatar has agreed to heavily slash its budget for hosting the 2022 World Cup and is pressing ahead with eight stadiums, according to organising chief Hassan Al Thawadi.
St Petersburg bomb blast will not derail Russia 2018, says Mutko
April 4 – Russia’s chief World Cup figurehead says the subway blast in St Petersburg that killed 11 people should not be used by the country’s critics to call into question next year’s finals or the confederations cup this coming summer.
Qatar beefs up 2022 security with plan to establish specialist national police unit
April 3 – Qatar is taking advice from British security services as it builds towards the 2022 World Cup according to Hassan Al Thawadi, head of the tournament’s organising committee.
Brazil become first nation to book place for Russia 2018
March 29 – Brazil have become the first team to qualify for next year’s World Cup after the five-times champions beat Paraguay 3-0 for their eighth successive win in the South American qualifying competition.
ILO keeps up pressure on Qatar on migrant workers’ travel rights
March 23 – The International Labour Organisation, one of the United Nations’ most highly regarded agencies, has decided to continue monitoring Qatar for human rights violations until November despite the Gulf state, organisers of the 2022 World Cup, insisting progress is being made.
Mutko dismisses Russian players named in doping scandal as an issue dealt with
March 20 – Russia’s World Cup chief organiser Vitaly Mutko, recently barred from holding on to his place at FIFA’s top table, has brushed aside allegations that Russian footballers were among those guilty caught up in the country’s widespread doping scandal.
Confederations Cup ticket sales slow as Russians cool on 2018 World Cup warm-up
By Samindra Kunti
March 10 – The countdown to the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup is on, but concerns remain over the slow ticket sales for the tournament. Despite ticket sales windows being open since November 2016, tickets are still available for all 16 matches.
Russian political genius pitches ‘World Cup of fan fighting’ concept. TV rights anyone?
March 7 – A Russian politician has proposed a somewhat unorthodox solution to the country’s hooliganism problem ahead of next year’s World Cup: legalise it and turn it into a spectator sport.